Mindfulness has become a hot topic recently, with even British members of parliament and corporate managers taking part in mindfulness training courses. Nina Bradshaw explains mindfulness and how simple it can be. We hear about mindfulness and it sounds like a good thing. But what exactly is mindfulness? And how can it help us to maintain mental wellbeing in our everyday life? As a concept, mindfulness, is a form of meditation taken from Buddhism. Some people may imagine this as sitting in a Spartan room, legs contorted in the lotus position, chanting ‘ohmmm’. Others may associate the concept ..read more

My brother, Martin, was the youngest of four brothers. He was the youngest son to John and Dorothy Veal and Christopher, David and Timothy were his brothers. He was born on 15th December 1967 and at the time of his passing he was 48 years old. He is survived by his two sons Spencer and Cooper and his wife Mishelle. Growing up with three older brothers, Martin became very good at sports and was the leading cricketer and footballer of the local area. He excelled at any sport he attempted winning the Heidelberg Golf open against all comers at the age of 15. He played Gridiron for Australia and t ..read more

Bullying does not only apply to acting out children, it unfortunately applies to adults as well. Being a bully is not something one usually outgrows. Bullying is a way of coping and can become a part of an adult’s everyday methods for dealing with getting what they want in life. Bullying in the workplace is more prevalent than most people expect. The statistics for bullying in the workplace is astounding. In 2010, a study was conducted by the Workplace Bullying Institute. This study indicated that 35% of American workers had been bullied. In 2006 Schat, Frone & Kelloway conducted a survey ..read more

It was a serendipitous moment when I was asked to write an article on living with a minimalist approach. I was spending my Christmas holiday on a mountain in Southern Australia, in a town that consisted of five streets and two stores. a broken fridge I had no mobile reception, minimal internet access and no television. The owners of the bush retreat (a fancy word for an isolated cabin) where I was staying owned another property further into the mountain on a dirt track. They invited me to go for a walk on their property which, even in the summer heat, was surrounded by bountiful wildlife and m ..read more

Most people understand Alzheimer’s disease as a problem of “forgetting” – a memory problem. But it is much more than that; it is a thinking disorder, one that disrupts the usual patterns of thought conception, storage, retrieval and utility. As such, it may rob the person of a skill that was, up until today, an everyday action, taken for granted until now. This is something I would want to know if I myself had Alzheimer’s disease but, I don’t; my husband, Jay, does. Learning about the disease is different for each of us. He lives with Alzheimer’s; I walk beside it. Almost every week, there is ..read more

Depression is the ‘common cold’ of mental illness. It is the term used in psychiatry to describe “when the lowering of mood becomes relatively persistent and begins to interfere with a person’s ability to cope, either with work or study or personal relationships, or when the mood state is a source of substantial distress that is regarded as abnormal”. (Schweitzer and  Parker,  2007). According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Diagnostic Disorders, also called the DSM-5 and referred to as the Psychiatrist’s Bible, this is the case when a person struggles almost c ..read more

When I first began my recovery journey from Mental Illness, my partner told me: ‘I don’t care what illness you have; I will always stay by your side as long as you get some help’. So I did. When I went to the doctor, I thought that I would also address the breathing difficulty I’d been having. He told me it was anxiety, but I didn’t believe him. After all, I knew my body better than anyone else, right? He did some tests and told me that I had depression, anxiety and stress. He prescribed me some medication and I went home. I threw myself on my bed and bawled. I didn’t want these labels or thi ..read more

We live in a society of political correctness (PC). So much so that the phrase “political correctness gone mad” is a very common reaction. Gender, race, religion, sexual preference and now, it seems, mental health are subjects where we are constantly second-guessing what we say and write in order to ensure our adherence to the constantly evolving and increasingly confusing PC guidelines. Quite frankly I vote in favour of PC. I do, though, recognise that it is getting somewhat out of hand and I admit to being a contributor. I am a manic-depressive, not bipolar. I am Aboriginal and not “part” A ..read more

With many people often eating more than their lunch on the job, workplace nutrition is important, not just for physical health but also workplace wellbeing. We take a look at why employers should encourage – or even provide – healthy food and snacks at work. Why healthy workplace eating matters Food supports our body and brain function. With a balanced diet we can lead a more balanced life. With most of us spending a third of our lives at work it is very important to be pro-active in eating healthily at the workplace. Our employers have a duty of care towards us and should provide us with hea ..read more

Delali Norvor shares with us an intimate account of her own life with mental health and the tragic legacy mental health can leave behind. Delali Norvor was born in Accra, Ghana in October, 1995. Being diagnosed with mild Cerebral Palsy did not stop her from living life and earning a lot of rare accomplishments for people her age. Delali is a published poet/author with three books available online. She has been recognized by several publications who excitedly praise her and has her future referred to as “bright, and promising.” Delali is a college freshman, who has aspirations to go to law sch ..read more